That Sorta Way
by Alyssa86InMN
Summary: This is what I would have liked to have seen for the 100th episode. Spoilers obviously for ep100. "I love you in a 'I want to be with you for the rest of my life, marry you and have babies with you' sort of way." One-shot.


**A/N: I found this story to basically be writing itself tonight. I was trying to sleep last night at around 3am, but I couldn't because this story was on my mind. I pulled out my laptop and wrote what was on my mind. Tonight, I went back to the story and this is the result. I'm really quite proud of this one. It's one of my better stories, IMO. I hope you enjoy!**

As Booth and Brennan left Sweets' office, the gravity of that night's session began to sink in. Their therapist had confidence in believing these two people, complete opposites, had, over the years of being partners, not only accepted each others differences, but fell in love in the process. Booth knew exactly how he felt. He had for months. His only question was whether she felt the same. He was a gambler. But was he willing to throw their partnership, their strong and solid friendship down the proverbial toilet to have something he desired? Her. As the partners descended the concrete stairs, he stopped. She turned to face him, questioning in her eyes as she wondered why he paused.

"What's wrong, Booth?"

"Bones, I can't keep doing this."

"Doing what? Walking?"

"No, Bones … This." He said, motioning his hands back and forth between the two of them. "Us. I can't keep this up."

"Are you saying, you don't want to be my partner anymore? Booth, why? Did I say something wrong? I didn't beat anyone up this time." Brennan asked with trepidation.

"No, no. I can't keep this …" his words evaded him. "I can't …" It was now or never he thought. "Bones, I love you."

"Yeah, I know…Atta boy." she said nudging him in the shoulder with her fist.

"No. Not in an atta boy kind of way. I love you in a 'I can't stop thinking about you and I don't want to', a 'my fingers tingle when I see you', a 'my heart jumps in my chest when you speak', a 'I feel utterly euphoric after spending a second with you', a 'I want to be with you for the rest of my life, marry you and have babies with you' sort of way."

"Your heart can't literally…" Brennan began.

"Bones, I am in love with you." he cut her off.

Brennan stood looking at him wide-eyed, not knowing what to say. Her lips parted as if she was going to say something, but she pursed them together.

"Bones, say something." Booth prodded.

"You mean, I don't have carpal tunnel syndrome or heart problems?"

"What? That doesn't even make any sense."

"My fingers tingle and my heart palpitates when I'm around you too. I logically assumed that I had a heart problem and carpal tunnel syndrome. I have been meaning to get it checked out."

Booth smiled at how oblivious she was. "What are you saying?"

"I don't know what I am saying." She wore a pained expression.

"I just bared my heart and soul to you and you have absolutely nothing to say about it?" Booth questioned, getting a little agitated.

"Booth, what do you want me to say?" Brennan responded quietly, starting to get upset as a tear formed in the corner of her eye.

"I don't know, Bones, that maybe you love me too? Maybe that after all of these years of being just partners, you too want something … need something more?"

"I … I … can't." she sputtered out.

Booth approached her, putting his hands around her forearms. "Bones, I can see our future, our life together, our children just by looking into your eyes. I can see so much. Why can't you?"

The tear fell from the barrier of her eyelid, leaving a wet streak down the side of her flawless face. "I can't be the woman you need me to be. I can't be the one to tell you everyday that I love you. I don't have your kind of open heart. I need to protect you … from me. I will break your heart. I'm a scientist … I can't change."

His mouth fell open as it felt like the wind had been knocked out of him. He didn't know what to do. He was losing her. He gambled and he was losing … he was losing one of the most important things in his life. "No, Bones!" he yelled, startling her. "I don't want you to change! I want all of you, just as you are! You're wrong, Bones! You have changed so much since our first case. You are perfect the way you are. I don't want you to change." His voice grew quieter. "You are perfect as you are. You're perfect to me."

"I will hurt you. I will …"

"No you won't" He interjected. "I won't let you. You can't hurt me, because I won't let you."

Brennan brought her hand to her cheek to wipe away the several tears that had managed to escape. "Booth …"

"I'm going to kiss you. I'm giving you forewarning." He put his hands on her hips and brought his head slowly closer to her, stopping where they could both feel the others lips, but weren't touching. "Don't change." He whispered, as their lips met. She didn't reciprocate. She stood there in shock. It didn't take long to recover before she brought her arms up and around his neck and started to kiss him back. Their lips and tongues met in a frenzied, but passionate embrace. His arms tightened around her waist as they became enveloped in each other.

"Booth …" she breathed as she kissed him a few more times, bringing her hand to his chest, right above his heart. "You're heart is beating so fast." She acknowledged.

He smiled lovingly at her. "That's because I love you."

She paused, took his hand from her hip and brought it to her wildly beating heart. She looked up at him with a blissful grin and brought her lips to meet his in another smoldering kiss.

**A/N: I will probably not continue this story. It will probably stay a one-shot. I do hope you enjoyed it. Please review because I do like those. I ended the story that way because I knew having Brennan say she loved him back, wouldn't be part of the character. I do believe Brennan loves Booth, but I don't think, at this stage of the series, that she is ready to admit it to herself. I am hoping next season though that she will be ready. Cross fingers!**


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